Welcome! I am a contemplative thinker and photographer from Colorado. In this blog, you'll discover photographs that I've taken on my hiking and backpacking trips, mostly in the American West. I've paired these with my favorite inspirational and philosophical quotes - literary passages that emphasize the innate spirituality of the natural world. I hope you enjoy them!

If you'd like to purchase photo-quote greeting cards, please go to www.NaturePhoto-QuoteCards.com .


In the Spirit of Wildness,

Stephen Hatch
Fort Collins, Colorado

P.S. There's a label index at the bottom of the blog.

Monday, December 9, 2013

All words and doctrines are merely pointers at the Great Mystery.



One of the most important principles to keep in mind when dealing with religion and spirituality (especially one's own!) is the realization that all words and doctrines are merely pointers leading us to a Mystery that lies BEYOND words.  Words help show us where to look for truth, but they work best when they contain paradoxical elements that serve as springboards into the realm of Mystery.  After all, the purpose of the universe is awe and wonder, not security.  We human beings so often cling to our doctrinal formulations because we wish for a sense of security in a complicated, constantly-shifting world.  But this clinging prevents us from imbibing the full measure of awe and wonder for which we were created.  Indeed, even the Divine finds ultimate meaning in the experience of surprise!

Photo: One of the Needles juts skyward in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, UT; December 1, 2013

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